Improvement in pocket-cutlery



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DANIEL R. HUNDLEY, OF MOUNTAIN HOME, ALABAMA` Letters PatentNo. 108,596, dated October 25, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN POCKET-OUTLERV.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making'part of the same i To all 'whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, DANIEL It.` HUNDLEY, 4of

l Mountain Home, in the county of Lawrence and State of Alabama, have invented a new and improved Pocket- Iinife and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved pocket-knife with oneot' the blades secured in place for use.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same, showing the upper part of the handle raised, so as to expose to view the internal arrangement for the reception of the blades of the knife. v

Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 are views in detail, showing more particularly the construction of the knife-handle.

Similar letters ot' reference' indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of my invention is to so construct the handle of a pocket-knife that, while it is provided with'a number of blades, any one ot' which can be used at pleasure, those blades which are not iniminediate use will not be exposed on the exterior of, the handle, nor will they in any manner inconvenience the' person using the knife.

rIhe nature of my invention consists- First, in constructing the handle of the knife hollow, and of two longitudin'ally-divided parts, which are hinged together and provided with interior apartments for receiving different blades and other instruments, and which are also provided with means for securely fastening anyv one of the said blades or other instruments in position for usc.

Second, in so constructing the device which is used to fasten together the two parts constituting the handle of the knife, that this device will also serve, in

combination with a dovetail recess, as a means for scouring any one of thc blades or other instruments in position for usc, as will bc hereinafter set forth.

The following description of my invention will `en-` able othcrs skilled in the art to understand its construction and operation. v

In the accompanying drawing- A B represent the two parts constituting a hollow mite-handle, which parts maybe made cast of malleableA iron or other metal, or they may be made of gutta-pcrcha, or ot'wanyl other suitable material, and

finished in any desirable manner. v I prefer to make" the parts of malleable metal, either alone or in combination with gutta-percha, although I do not conline myself either to material or shape, las `these'j'will vary according to circumstances.

A represents the largest part or the body of the handle, and B represents the cover of the part A,

which cover is attached, by its butt-end, to the corre` spending end of the body A by a hinge, a, or other suitable joint.

The hinge will connect the two parts permanently together and allow them to be opened, as shown in tig. 2, when'it is 'desired to obtain access tot-he interior el' the handle. vThis hinge will he molded with the parts.

In the part A a number of longitudinal portions, p, are applied,`which form receptacles for the blades K of the knife, and also other instruments which it may `be desired should accompany the handle.

Each instrument is constructed with av dovetail shank, I, which corresponds in shape and size to a ref cess, lr, made into the thickened portion C of the handle.

On one side of thejdovetail recess lr a slot, t, is made through the enlargement G for receiving a slide, y, as shown in figs. 2, 3, and 4. Y

The slide g, which is suitably applied in the cover B, is moved longitudinally by means of a od, b', and a finger-piece, l).

The rod b' works back of abridge, c, which is shaped so to serve as a means for retaining in their places different instrumentswithin the handle.

The nger-piece b, which is fastened to 'onet end of rod b', is fitted into a recess made into the butt of the cover B. i

The thumb-'pin r, which is fitted loosely into the butt of the'part A transversely with respect to the length of this part, is used to hold the finger-piece l) and the parts connected to it in place when adjusted, as shown in fig. 3.

'XVhen the cover IS is shut upon the part A, and the locking slide ,g pressed into its recess tt-hrough the enlargement C, as shown in iig. 3, the contents ofthel handle are securelyy confined in it.

When any one ot' thc instruments-contaiued in the handle is required for use, the finger-piece?) is released from pin c, and drawn out until the slide f/ leaves its recess i the shank l oti the instrument is then adjusted -into its dovetail recess r, after which the coverl is shut, and the slide g pressed into recess t, over or alongside of the said shank Z, which not only secures the instrument rigidly in its place, as shown in fig. I, but also secures the ends ofthe two'parts A l5 together.

It will be seen from the above description that I construct a pocket-knife handle without a rivet, spring, or screw', and make it-hollow,`vto .containalargernumber of blades or other instruments than could be applied tjo a knifehandle as ordinarily constructed.

The advantagesof this improvement are many, butl especially the following, viz

`First, cheapness. The cost of making the knifehandle, as at present constructed, is nearly onehalf the cost of the knife. With the rivetless handle,this leos't will be reduced from one hundred to five hundred percent., this being the difference between the cost .of fabricating handles by hand and molding them by machinery. i

Second, convenience. The rivetless pocket-knife is more convenient than Athe ordinary knife. I t contains in a small compass a l'greater variety of blades,-

` break, no springs to .lose their elasticity, no screws to become worthless by continued use, when a handle of good material is purchased it will last a lifetime. The blades as they wear out can be replaced from time to time by applying to the manufacturer.

Having described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

vl. A hollow pocket-knife handle, composed of two parts A and B, hinged together and provided with a locking-slide, g, substantially as described.

2. The arrangement of the recess t for slide g, alongside of the recess r, whereby the locking device holds together the ends of the parts A B, and, at the same time, locks an instrument in place, substantially as described. v

3. The locking slide g, the rod bf, and the'iingerpiece b, combined and applied to the handle section, substantially as described.

4. the pin 1:, in combination with the linger-piece b, and with the longitudinally-divided knife-handle, substantially as described. y

5. Theconstruction of a rivetless pocket-knife handle of two longitudinally-divided parts, A B, hinged together, the part A having partitions applied within it, substantially as described. v

Witnesses: DANIEL B uHUNDLEY.

J. N. OAMPLEE, EDM. F. BROWN. 

